The best college football teams are all characterized by terrific head coaching jobs and remarkable individual and collective performances. But behind every great team is a leader who makes everything tick.
In some cases, it's an emotional fire plug who keeps everybody at ready. Other times, it's the calming, stoic demeanor that permeates the program. Without them, it's difficult to envision the outcomes being quite so great.
These players are key cogs. In some cases, they're superduper stars, but by no means is that a given. They fill up stat sheets or serve as the heartbeat of a team.